Holder for cigarettes or like articles



'Oct. 6, 1942.

G. L. sco'r'r HOLDER FOR CIGARETTES OR LIKE ARTICLES Filed May 2, 1940 15 I INVENTOR 6/155?! L ficarr.

fir OK/VfX-S.

Patented Oct. 6, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOLDER FOR CIGARETTES OR LIKE ARTICLES 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a holder for a cigarette or like articles of the type which is adapted to be mounted upon an ash tray or other base support for clamping such article intermediate its ends and holding them free from contact.

It is recognized that heretofore there have been provided clamps for ash trays and the like comprising a pair of jaws between which the cigarette or cigar is engaged under spring or weighted pressure for holding it in clamped spaced relation with respect to the ash tray. In such devices it has been necessary to press or force the cigarette or cigar into place between the jaws, overcoming the pressure exerted by the spring or weight.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a very simple clamping device of this character which requires no pressure to be exerted upon the cigarette, cigar or like article for effecting the clamping action, but wherein such cigarette or cigar may be merely dropped or lightly laid between the jaws, and its mere inherent weight will act to throw the jaws into clamping relation in such manner as to rigidly and firmly support and secure it therein and lock it against any tilting action longitudinally thereof. Furthermore, no weighted or spring pressure will resist the removal of the cigarette or cigar which may be freely lifted upwardly from the clamping jaws, which movement will move the jaws to open position without resistance.

The above is accomplished by providing a pair of pivotally mounted jaws which are so balanced about their pivotal mounting that they will normally remain in open position ready to receive a cigarette or cigar. Upon the cigarette or cigar being placed or dropped into position between the jaws, engaging their lower clamping surface, the mere weight thereof will overbalance them to swing them into clamping position. By reason of the width or body of the jaws, the cigarette or cigar will be firmly held against tilting so that the opposite ends thereof will be supported free of contact with any surface. Such tilting is restrained because of the increased pressure applied to the lower surface of the jaws by any such tilting action, which pressure will have the tendency to more firmly apply the clamping action.

Furthermore, it may be noted that as the cigarette burns, it will be extinguished when it has been burned to the adjacent edge of the clamps so that it cannot burn through, and under such conditions it will still be maintained in clamped position.

Other objects and features of invention will Cal be understood from the accompanying drawing and. the following description and claims:

Fig. l is a section taken through an ash tray showing the clamp mounted thereon in open position. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the ash tray showing a cigarette mounted in clamped position. Fig. 3 is the same as Fig. 2 showing a plan view thereof. Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the clamping members in open position. Fig. 5 is the same as Fig. 4 showing the clamping members. in closed position but with the cigarette removed for clearness. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the clamping members illustrating a modified form thereof. Fig. 7 is the same as- Fig. 6 showing a second modified form. Fig. 8 is the same as Fig. 7 showing the clamp in closed position.

In the drawing there is shown an ash tray l0 having an ash receiving receptacle H and a centrally positioned support in the form of a pair of spaced walls or flanges 12 between which a cigarette or cigar clamp is pivotally supported.

The clamp comprises a pair of jaws l3 pivotally supported by pivot pins l5 extending through the respective jaws and the flanges I2 so as to freel permit a swinging action of the respective jaws in and out of clamping position.

Each jaw is formed with a semi-circular concave gripping surface l6, which surfaces are complementary so that when closed they form a circular closure of substantially the diameter of the cigarette or cigar to be clamped, as shown in Fig. 5. Said surfaces terminate in a lower lip portion I! and an upper lip portion la, the lower portion I! being engageable by the cigarette or cigar when it is laid or dropped into the jaws between the portions I8 when they are in open position. The mere weight of the cigarette or cigar, when resting upon the portion ll of the jaws, is adapted to overbalance the jaws about their pivotal supports l5 so as to move downwardly and swing them into clamping position.

Upon the cigarette or cigar being lifted from the jaws, it will engage the portions I8 at the top thereof, which will act to tilt the jaws in the opposite direction about their pivot pins so that the tail portions I!) will throw them over-center in open position, as shown in Fig. 4.

In the forms illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the.

open position of the jaws is limited by engagement of the tail portions with the surface of the supporting ash tray, and the center of gravity of each jaw is so related to its center pin that when freed the jaws will normally move to and remain in open position. But, upon a cigarette or cigar being applied to the portions ll thereof, its weight will act to hold them in clamping position. In this connection it may be noted that when the cigarette or cigar is in position between the jaws and clamped thereby intermediate its ends, any tilting action will be resisted by reason of the increased pressure exerted by such tilting action against the portions H which will only tend to more firmly effect the clamping action.

The modified forms of Figs. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate arrangements for limiting the opening movement of the jaws wherein they are so mounted that the tail portions have no engagement with a supporting surface. In Fig. 6 there are illustrated a pair of supports H2 between which the jaws 13 are pivoted at l5. Since there is no bottom surface to be engaged by the tail portions I9 when the jaws are in open position, said tail portions are formed with a pair of overlapping projections 20 which engage the opposite undersides of the portions I! when the jaws are swung to open position and thereby limit their opening movement. In this form it may be noted that if pressure is applied by the weight of a cigarette or cigar only on one jaw, the force will be transmitted to the other jaw through the interengagement of the overlapping projections 20.

In the forms shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the limited movement to open position is provided by the pivot member l 15 which is in the form of a vertically mounted flat strip operating within the triangular opening indicated at H6 formed in each of the jaws 13. When the jaws are in open position, as shown in Fig. 7, they will be limited by engagement of the flat surface of the pivot member with one side of the triangular opening H'B. When moved to closed position as shown in Fig. 8, the jaws will be swung about the fiat pivot member H5 with the abutting surface of the triangular opening moving away therefrom.

From the above description of the operation of the holder it will be understood that the complementary jaws are so related and balanced in respect to their center of gravity that they will normally be in open receiving position and will be swung to clamping position, by a cigarette or cigar placed therein, in which latter position they will be firmly held by the weight and pressure exerted on the bottom portions l! by the cigarette or cigar without any manual pressure being applied thereto. Furthermore, the mere lifting of the cigarette or cigar therefrom into engagement with the portions l8 of the jaws with the simultaneous release of the weight or pressure on the portions l1 thereof will overbalance them about their center of gravity so that they will readily swing into open position and will remain until a cigarette or cigar is again applied.

Whereas the invention has been described, for example, as applicable to a holder for cigarettes or cigars, it may be noted that it is equally applicable to like articles such as pipes, pencils and pens.

The invention claimed is:

1. A clamping device for cigarettes or like articles comprising a support, a pair of complementary clamping jaws pivotally mounted on said support in position to receive such article therebetween when in open position and clamp the same when moved thereby to closed position, each of said jaws being provided with an outwardly extending tail portion adapted to normally overbalance them about their pivotal mountings to open position, an engaging surface associated with said support to be engaged by said tail portions for limiting the outward and downwardly swinging movement of the jaws to open position, and lower lip portions on said jaws respectively opposed to said tail portions positioned to receive such article thereon, said lip portions when supporting the article being arranged to overbalance said tail portions and thereby swing said jaws to and maintain them in clamping position until released by removal of the article.

2. A clamping device for cigarettes or like articles comprising a. support, a pair of complementary clamping jaws pivotally mounted on said support in position to receive such articles therebetween when in open position and clamp the same when moved by the weight thereof to closed position, said jaws being formed with concave complementary clamping surfaces conforming to the peripheral contour of the article clamped thereby and wherein the width of said surfaces is at least substantially equal to the diameter of said article to retain the same against tilting when supported thereby, an outwardly extending tail portion formed on each of said jaws adapted to normally overbalance them about their pivotal mountings to open position, and a lower lip portion on each of said jaws opposed to said tail portions positioned to receive such article thereon, said lip portions when supporting the article being arranged to overbalance said tail portions and thereby swing said jaws to and maintain them in clamping position until released by removal of the article.

GILBERT L. SCOTT. 

